Frenemies

MARGAUX

"Rose," I fist-bumped with Olie, Mary was following right behind me.

Olie owns a boxing gym. He lives right around the last apartment that Mary and I had been. The first time I met him, I knew that he and I would be buddies. Olie was very friendly. He used to box for a living. But when he had settled down, he stopped and opened a boxing gym instead. His wife works as a teacher and they have three beautiful girls, two were twins.

"You girls came early. Don't you have work?" I shook my head, smiling broadly.

"None. Apparently, customers are always right despite my dignity being trampled on,"

"The world needs more of you Rose. I want my girls to grow up like you," I wanted to argue that he better not wish for his girls to be like me. My life was in shambles right now and his girls deserve to live as is. But then, I held my tongue and only smiled at him in response.

"You are doing a great job, Olie. Believe me, the last thing you would want is for them to be like Rose,"

Olie chuckled. I was certain that he finds Mary's sarcasm as some sort of her silent vendetta against me. Yet little did he know that she was merely stating facts.

"You girls, either of you, you are good kids. I don't see why that would be a bad idea if they followed your footsteps." At this Mary and I stared at each other.

"Believe me, us, Olie, your girls are perfect as they are. Although, it would be handy when you start teaching them a few boxing techniques. It would be nice if they would know how to defend themselves when the time comes."

Olie chuckled once more.

"Now you just sounded like my wife, Rose. Anyways, the gym is at your service, I will be at the office if you need anything, see ya,"

"Thanks Olie," Mary and I chorused as we went further inside of the gym.

"What do you say on a one on one?" Mary looked at me.

"Are you sure? You know I don't want you to get hurt or anything like that, Margie," she stated, emphasizing the use of my name at the end. I scoffed.

"I smell a challenge,"

"You are so on," smirking, we both headed for the ring at the far corner of Olie's gym. The one main reason why I had picked Olie's gym when I was searching for one around the area was because it was mostly deserted.

On most days, it was just me and Mary. A few people would be present from time to time, but usually, it was as quiet as it is now. Though, on Saturdays, we don't come here as Olie holds a boxing class which would last for the whole day. He teaches a separate group in the morning and another separate group in the afternoon. Yet, other than that too, no one really comes here often.

Warming up, I smiled at the memories I have of me and Mary back then. The first time we had a one on one. It was a funny memory actually as we ended up laughing at the end of our session, our instructor shaking his head in disbelief for what we had done. Nevertheless, he commended us for using the skills he had taught. At least for the first few minutes of our match.

"Hey, Psycho, what are you smiling about now?" I can't help but laugh at her name-calling.

"You will never let that slide, would you? Dang, Mary,"

"Nope. I never will, Psycho," I laughed yet again, instantly avoiding her as she launched an attack and began our one on one match.

"Ohoho, someone is feisty," I remarked.

"Take me seriously, Margie," I shook my head, bluffing an attack before landing a real one, taking her by surprise.

"I am serious," Mary smirked.

"You better be," she stated. "It won't be long before we would find ourselves at the mercy of Takahashi. It would be best when you and I are ready. Otherwise, everything that we had done to survive would have been in vain,"

At the mere mention of Takahashi, my blood boiled.

"I have never forgotten Mary and I never will," I paused and looked at her in the eye.

"Vengeance will be mine,"

--

HANA

The smirk forming across my lips was inevitable. I have not mistaken in choosing her. She was the perfect assassin meant for taking Takahashi down.

I watched from afar as she and her friend disappeared inside the boxing gym that they usually go to.

I had actually found Margaux Cortez a long time ago. I had been following her and her friend for quite some time. She was good at covering her tracks but not that great. She and her friend would have been caught if I had not interfered a few times to make sure that Takahashi does not get a hold of them. Yet.

I know for a fact that Takahashi would surely have my head when he finds out that I have been keeping tabs on Margaux and never told him about it.

Knowing that it would take a long while before Margaux and her friend would come out, I made my way back towards the car. I drummed my fingers on the steering wheel as soon as I had settled in.

There was nothing I could do for now but wait. I had wanted to talk to her and her friend once more. I needed to know if she and her friend would be willing for the three of us to form an alliance.

I stopped drumming my fingers on the steering wheel and leaned my head back on the seat instead, thinking of things to do to keep myself distracted while waiting. I was in the middle of pondering when the sound of a vibrating phone rang inside the car.

I instantly pressed the answer button upon seeing who was calling me.

"Patrick," I said. "What can I do for you?"

"You saw them right?" I furrowed my brows feeling a little lost for a few minutes before it finally hit me whom he meant.

"Yes, your sister is fine, Patrick. Don't worry," I listened to the sigh of relief he had just let out.

"Arigatou, Hanabi."